(IN) NDFC and NDTV duped by elephant mafia

[Guest guest]

A Hindi film titled 'The White Elephant' is being exclusively shot in Kerala

by an advertisement film maker named Aijaz Khan. The script writer of the

film -- Ayeesha Menon associated with the Maurits Binger Film Institute,

Amsterdam and with BBC radio dramas --hails from the elephant town of

Thrissur. The film jointly produced by NDFC, NDTV Imagine and Peach Film

stars Prroshant Narayanan and Tannisha Chatterjee and an elephant named

Devidutt.

 

This is a classic example of how the elephant smuggling cartel of Kerala

lure even the highly acclaimed and the respected government bodies and an

animal welfare news channel invest money into making films involving

elephants like Devidutt. Devidutt is just one of the 1500 plus pachydems

brutally and illegally owned and tourtured by a highly influential and

ruthless elephant mafia whose tentacles spread among the northern and north

eastern states of India.

 

The elephant Devidutt was smuggled from the state of Assam by an

influential elephant smuggler based at Thrissur. The majestic animal soon

developed an ailment of the right ear and following the expert medications

from an " ayurvedic quack " a major portion of its ear was infected and

disintegrated.

(The captive Elephant Management and Maintenance Rules 2001 defines such

quacks as vetinary doctors and empowers them to inject, operate and issue

all types of certificates to Elephas Maximus a Schedule I(1) animal in Wild

Life Protection Act 1972)

 

As the elephant has not any valid certificate and when news about how its

right ear was medically 'terminated' animal lovers complained to the forest

officials. Soon the elephant was sold to the trustees of the ' Puthoor

Thirupurakkal Temple " .

 

Custodians of smuggled or illegally procured elephants have a tacit

understanding with some of the trustees of certain temples in Kerala,so

that if legal proceedings are on the anvil against the custodians of such

elephants these animals would be shifted to the " sacred and safe " premises

of such temples. The tortured and handicapped elephant now under the custody

of a liquor businessman is being rented to film shooting and now stars in

the Hindi movie " the White Elephant " .

 

During the temple festival season(from mid December to mid May) it is

unimaginable torture time for the captive elephant population of Kerala.

Provisions in the Central Wildlife Protection Act 1972 and the allied Rules

on Declaration of Wild Life Stocks 2003, the Performing Animal Registration

Rules 2001 or the Performing Animals Rules1978 are brazenly flouted.

 

Commercial exchange or transfers of any sort involving captive elephants

are illegal and invite imprisonment and fine. But it is an open secret that

there are more than 120 elephants of the 'majestic' variety that bring in

not less than Rs 1,00,000(one lakh) per day during the 150 day long temple

festival season. The prize tag of such elephants have risen upto 50,00,000(

50 lakhs) in the elephant market. That is why while keeping an elephant

elsewhere in India becomes a liability, in Kerala it is the easiest way to

mint millions.

 

The forest, police and other state officials are forced into submission by

the powerful coterie of the elephant smugglers and their agents. Even the

government itself is in the act of making rules to help the powerful lobby

of the elephant owners from prosecution as non-possession of ownership

certificate itself under Wild Life Protection Act 1972 is considered a

crime on par with hunting. Its punishment is imprisonment upto 7 years and a

fine upto Rs. 25,000.

As per Declarations Rules 2001 no application for ownership should be

received after October 18, 2003 and the cut off date for decision of issue

of such certficate is April 18, 2004.

I have seen copies of ownership certificatesissued to custodians of

elephants bearing the yaer 2005 and 2006.

 

I request the well kown film personalities a group like NFDC and NDTV to

strictly enquire the precedents of the elephant suppliers and custodians and

verify the Ownership Certificate (issued by the Chief Wild Life Warden

before April 14, 2004) and the Performing Animals Registration Rules

Certificate(issued by the Animal Welfare board of India) before signing any

contract with the so called 'owners' of these pachyderms falling under

schedule I(1) of the Indian Wildlife Protection ACt 1972.

Please ensure that the above 2 certificates are not bogus and if you are

not satisfied help the authorities in booking cases against the elephant

suppliers.

 

Kerala has only 3% of the Indian human population but 80% of the captive

elephant population.

 

Please help us from being branded as a rogue state in animal welfare and

laws.